BRITISH AEROSPACE and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) are negotiating a joint upgrade proposal for the Indian navy's BAe Sea Harrier FRS.51 - the first time that the two companies have considered collaboration.
The firms are creating at least two upgrade options for India. The Indian navy is keen to upgrade its Harriers, and has previously looked at the Royal Navy's Harrier F/A2 as the standard of aircraft it is seeking.
BAe was pursuing an upgrade programme independently based around the F/A2, including a derivative of the GEC-Marconi Blue Vixen multi-mode pulse-Doppler radar. The Indian navy was unable to afford the programme, however.
When the BAe upgrade package fell apart, the Indian navy is understood to have sounded out BAe about a less expensive package, using Israeli-source equipment.
IAI is offering the navy a cockpit-avionics and electronic-warfare (EW)-system upgrade. India was initially interested in an Elta EW pod for the FRS.51, but its preference is now for an internally carried EW suite based on the Elta 8240 family.
The second option being examined by the two companies includes replacing the FRS.51's Ferranti Blue Fox pulse-modulated radar. One choice being considered is a derivative of the Elta EL/M 2032 pulse-Doppler fire-control radar. Including this in the package would substantially increase the cost of the upgrade, however.
Source: Flight International
